A GLORIOUS LIFEBOAT RESCUE. 24.3 



the crew in distress and their rescuers were well aware of the stake at issue, and that this was 

 the last chance. But the lifeboat crew said, ' We're bound to save them/ and with all the 

 coolness of the race, yet ' daring all that men dare do/ they concentrated their energies on 

 getting close enough to the wreck to throw their line, and yet to keep far enough off to ensure 

 the boat's safety. They were now beaten and hustled by the tremendous seas breaking into 

 and over them, and no other boat could have lived a moment in the cauldron of waters 

 seething and raging around them. Notwithstanding the self-emptying power of the wondrous 

 boat, the seas broke into her in such quick succession that she was and remained full up to her 

 thwarts while alongside the vessel, and as each cataract came on board the coxswain sang out, 

 ' Look out, men ! ' and they grasped the thwarts and held on with both hands, breathless, for 

 dear life. One sea hurled the lifeboat against the ship, and stove in her fore air-box, so that 

 the safety of all made it necessary to sheer off. Another sea prostrated two men under her 

 thwarts. The lifeboat's throw-line was at last got on board the barque, and communication 

 being established the crew were drawn on board the lifeboat through the raging waves by ones 

 or twos, as the seas permitted. Thus saved from the jaws of death, so astonished were the 

 rescued crew at the submerged condition of the lifeboat and the awful turmoil of water 

 around them that some of them wished to get back to their perishing vessel ; but the coxswain 

 and crew knew the powers of their gallant boat. ' Up foresail and cut the cable,' and with its 

 goodly freight of thirty-four souls the lifeboat, hurled like a feather, sometimes dead before the 

 wind, and next moment ' taken aback/ plunged into the surf for home. One of the rescued 

 crew had twice before been saved by the same boat (the Van Kook], and encouraged his 

 comrades with a recital of his previous deliverances. Some rum, which was brought for the 

 use of the lifeboat crew, was generously given by them and all used by the perishing men of 

 the barque. And so at last, sodden through and through, exhausted, but gloriously successful, 

 they landed the staggering and grateful Germans on the Deal beach, where, despite the storm, 

 crowds met them with wondering and thankful hearts." 



Among nearly all classes who dwell near and love the sea the same heroic spirit prevails. 

 Only in 1879 Lord Dun more, with John M'Rae, Ewen M'Leod, and Norman Macdonald, put 

 out to sea in a furious Atlantic gale, in the noble Scottish peer's undecked cutter, the Dauntless, 

 when no other boat would venture out at all, and saved the lives of several men, women, and 

 children from the yacht Astarte, wrecked on a small island-rock between Harris and the North 

 Uist coast (west coast of Scotland). The noble hero of this gallant band is a Muiray of the 

 ducal tree of Atholl, sharing the savage motto, " Forth fortune, and fill the fetters." The 

 spirit of daring adventure which spurred his forefathers to feats of reckless foray and ruthless 

 feud has, in a milder age, developed into the performance of deeds of valour for the benefit 

 of suffering humanity. 



Sad to say, occasionally, there is another story to be told. In February, 1880, 

 some strapping fishermen refused to make up the complement of the Blackpool lifeboat 

 some of her own men being away fishing off North Wales, and others at Fleetwood 

 and remained leafing on the beach while they let the coxswain take in two joiners 

 and a stonemason, and then start two short of the complement. Nevertheless four 

 persons were saved from the wreck of the Bessie Jones, under circumstances most 

 honourable to the rescuers. On their return, being obliged to run over the bank with a 



